Fecal examination device

ABSTRACT

A fecal examining device comprising a closure member in the form of a tray adapted to be fitted upon the open lower end of a solution-receiving receptacle or cylinder, said closure member or tray including a central, open-top cup that extends into the cylinder for a short, predetermined distance. A cap is provided for closing the open top of the cup or well when the tray is not attached to the cylinder. A perforated piston is provided for manual movement within the cylinder to thereby separate ova from the fecal material in solution.

REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 455,017 filed Mar. 26,1974, now abandoned. Ser. No. 455,017 is a continuation-in-part of mycopending applications Ser. No. 150,357 filed June 7, 1971 and Ser. No.255,857 filed May 22, 1972, whose entire disclosures are incorporatedherein by reference. Ser. No. 255,857 is now U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,045 ofJune 25, 1974; it is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 150,357 (nowabandoned).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to means for examining and analyzing fecalmatter and has for its object to provide a device which will simplifyand render effective the securement of, separation of, the feces fromthe ova or eggs of parasites such as might be contained within the fecalmatter.

At the present time, the examination of fecal matter is had by a patientbeing given a disposable container which he returns containing aspecimen, to a physician or laboratory. A measured amount of the fecalmatter is then placed in another container and is thoroughly mixed intoa solution with a specific gravity greater than water to thereby floatthe ova from the broken up specimen.

The strained solution is then filtered through a strainer into anothercontainer. The strained solution is then poured into still anothercontainer to the point of overfilling; namely, a convex meniscus. Aslide is then placed on the meniscus and is allowed to stand for atleast ten minutes and it is then removed with some of the solutionadhering to it. A cover slip is then placed on the slide and it isexamined under a microscope.

With the device of the present invention, a number of the stepscustomarily pursued, are eliminated and the procedure involved issimplified. The patient is given a disposable fecal unit which will holdonly the desired amount of the fecal matter. The bottom of the unitwhich constitutes a tray or holder for the fecal matter is placed on thelower end of a cylinder and solution is poured into the cylinder. Thecylinder can be, if and when necessary, provided with a removableclosure cap at the top.

The cylinder is half filled with flotation solution and mixed thoroughlywith the feces. The foraminous-bottom piston or strainer is placedwithin the cylinder and is pushed downwardly to a variable point belowthe fluid level. The cylinder is then filled to a point of meniscus, anda slide is placed on the meniscus to be later removed with solutionadhering to it. A coverslip is placed on the slide and the slideexamined under the microscope.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which anillustrative embodiment of the invention is shown and in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectonal view through a fecal examining deviceconstructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the combined fecal holder or tray thatforms the bottom closure for the cylinder;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the tray or holder of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the strainer piston;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the strainer piston, with the stem or rodthereon being shown in section;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the tray or holder showing a closure cap fittedover the normally open top of the cup on the tray; and,

FIG. 7 is a face view of the detached paddle or scoop.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the closure cap.

The device as shown, consists of four main elements; namely, a mixingchamber or container in the form of a cylinder or tube 1; a bottomclosure member or tray 4 constituting a carrier for the fecal matter; apiston-like strainer 3, and a closure cap 19 for the top of the tray 4.

The body of the device, consisting of the cylinder 1, may be made of anysuitable material and is preferably of a transparent nature to permitthe mixing operation to be observed. The cylinder 1 is open at itsopposite ends and if and when desired the upper end can be closed bymeans of a conventional snap-on type of closure cap 2.

The lower end of the cylinder 1 is adapted to be closed during the useof the device by means of a tray-like closure member or fecal holder 4shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. Said tray or holder includes an outerperipheral wall or flange 8 and disposed within, and locatedconcentrically of the wall or flange 8, is an inner and higher annularwall 5 that cooperates with a bottom wall or floor 7 in forming anopen-top well 6.

Extending laterally from the side wall 19a of a closure cap 19 for thetray or holder 4 is a frangible neck 9 (FIG. 6), which connects to aremovable paddle or scoop 10a provided with a handle portion 10 and head11. The paddle or scoop 10a can be separated when needed from the coveror closure cap 19 by fracture of the neck 9.

The tray or holder 4 can be applied to the end of the cylinder 1 with atight or force fit provided with any type detent means if necessary toengage with the inner wall surface of the cylinder 1 near the lower endthereof. After the tray 4 containing the fecal matter is fitted in placeon the end of the cylinder, the wall 5 will very closely fit within thecylinder and will extend upwardly therein for a short distance and itwill frictionally engage against the inner surface of the cylinder wallso that a positive prevention of leakage will be effected. The fingerpiece 13 is for the removal of the bottom tray from closure 19.

The piston-like strainer generally indicated at 3, has a cup-shaped bodyprovided with a circumferential wall 16 and a perforated or foraminousbottom wall 17 having thus a plurality of holes 18. Located centrally ofthe body of the strainer is a vertical or upstanding stem or rod 15 bymeans of which the strainer can be manipulated.

The tray or holder 4 of the device may be made of disposable materialand when filled and capped by the closure cap 19 and returned by thepatient, it is placed on the bottom of the cylinder 1 as shown in FIG.1, with the open top of the wall 6 facing upwardly within the cylinder.

The closure cap 19 has its circumferential wall 19a arranged to fit overthe wall 8 so that when the closure cap is in place it fits over theentire top of the tray 4, thus closing the wall 6, as well as the spacebetween the walls 5 and 8.

The tray or holder 4 which then constitutes the closure member for thelower end of the cylinder during the separation of the feces is thus thecarrier for the fecal matter. When the well 6 is filled with the fecalmatter by the patient, the top of the well is covered or closed by theclosure cap 19. The closure cap 19 can be a snap-on type.

The tray or holder 4 has an area which extends laterally beyond thecylinder when fitted thereon and the tray is thus made of a sufficientdiameter to enable it to act as a supporting base for the cylinder,preventing it from tipping over. It also serves to collect any of thesolution that might drip off when the slide is placed in position. Thepaddle or scoop 11, being connected to closure cap 19 by a frangibleneck 9, can be torn off and be used to transfer feces to the container.

The strainer 3 acts as a piston and snugly but slidably fits within thecylinder and can be pushed down into the cylinder to the required extentand below the level of the fecal matter mixture by means of the attachedrod 15. The eggs in such mixture have a specific gravity less than thatof the solution and thus will continually strain upwardly toward theslide. The number and size of the holes 18 can be varied, the purpose ofthe strainer 3 being to keep fecal material from floating upwardly withthe eggs.

When the solution is placed in the cylinder the feces is broken up andthe strainer is placed in the solution. Solution is added until it formsa meniscus at the point of overfilling. A slide is then placed on thecylinder in contact with the solution and after ten minutes the slidewill be ready to read.

It is to be noted that the cylinder 1 need not be separated from thetray during the testing procedure, but is easily removable for cleaningif not composed of readily disposable material.

Floatation or levitation of parasite ova or eggs can be accomplished byvarious substances. Solutions of sodium nitrate or sucrose, or magnesiumsulfate, or zinc sulfate, or sodium chloride can be used. Each of thesehas its own merits and what might be used is a matter of personalpreferemce. The main purpose of the solute is to raise the specificgravity to, say, approximately 1.18, so that the ova will float to thetop.

The structure of the present invention is such that the parts thereofmay be readily disposable and there is a minimal handling of obnoxiousmaterial. Continuous straining or filtration during the floatationperiod occurs as ova seeks to reach the surface by passing through thestrainer. The tray 4, fitted on the end of the cylinder adds stabilityto the device and is arranged to catch any overflow of the fecal matter.The closure cap 19 for the tray can receive the name of the patient tothus identify the specimen. These and other advantages will be apparentto those skilled in this art.

The device is particularly suitable for use in veterinary work as inanalyzing the feces of dogs or cats for the presence of ova, larvae, andparasites, such as the cysts of certain protozoans. It is also suitablefor use in analyzing human feces.

In a preferred form, the device is made entirely of plastic material.For instance the tray 4 and closure cap 19 may be of tough high polymer,e.g. a thermoplastic polymer such as polyethylene, and may be producedby injection molding. Either the tray 4 or the closure cap 19 may carrythereon indicia giving directions for the use of the device to the dogowner. Thus, in one preferred form printed directions, as follows, aremolded (as at 21, FIG. 8) into the outwardly facing surface of cap 19:"Directions Place B.M. in Small Center Receptacle"; also molded into thesame surface of cap 19 is the word "Name" next to which there is anunmarked area (as at 22) preferably having a relatively rough ormicroscopically pitted surface adapted to receive and hold ink, so thatthe name of the dog and/or owner can be written thereon, using a markingpen, before the assemblage of tray 4 and closure cap 19 is sent to thelaboratory for analysis. The other surfaces of the tray and cappreferably have the usual relatively smooth finish imparted by contactwith the polished metal mold during the molding operation.

In a preferred form of the device the tube or cylinder 1 is also of atough high polymer, e.g. a thermoplastic polymer such as stereoregularpolypropylene. While the latter material is often somewhat cloudly inappearance it is transparent enough for the analyst to see through it toobserve the liquid level. The tight press fit between the tube 1 and theouter face of the annular wall 5 is facilitated by the fact that theseelements are made of materials which differ in rigidity or hardness sothat one element (e.g. the softer polyethylene) yields to conform to theother; to this and the internal diameter of the bottom of the tube ismade slightly less than the external diameter of the wall 5, thedimensions being such that the force fit can be effected by handpressure.

The whole device is so constructed and of such size that the variousparts may be easily manipulated by hand and may be produced at low cost;thus, they are economical to use despite the fact that they are thrownaway after a single use.

The well 6 preferably has an interior volume in the range of about onehalf to 5 cc, more preferably about 2 cc. Its internal diameter ispreferably about 0.5 to 5 cm, more preferably about 1 to 2 cm (e.g. 1.5cm). The ratio of the interior volume of the cylinder 1 to the interiorvolume of the well 6 is preferably at least about 2:1, more preferablyabove 3:1, e.g. above 5:1 or 7:1 such as about 10:1. These ratios aresuch as to provide for adequate fluidity of the mixture of feces anddiluent. Thus when the cylinder is partially filled (e.g. half filled)with diluent after being fitted to the well and the feces are thenstirred and broken up in the diluent (as by means of a suitable thinrod) the mixture of feces and diluent will be neither too thick nor toothin for analysis according to the invention. The high ratios obviouslypermit greater dilution of the feces which is desirable in that thespecific gravity of the diluent is not affected as much by the varyingwater contents of the individual feces samples and flotation of ova isthereby improved. For practical purposes higher ratios above about 10:1or 20:1 do not provide sufficient additional benefit and may make thedevice unnecessarily bulky; thus it is preferred that the ratio be wellbelow about 100:1.

The head portion 11 of paddle 10a is of a size adapted to carry theamount of feces which can fit into the well 6. Its width is asubstantial fraction (e.g. more than one fifth) of the diameter of thewell 6, but is preferably not greater than the diameter of the well 6 sothat it will pick up a mass of fecal material narrow enough to betransferred into the well without smearing the outer walls of the well.It is flat and serves as a spatula, thus permitting the user to employit to pat down the fecal mass flat into the well and avoid having aprojecting mound of feces extending above the top of the well.

The strainer 3 is preferably likewise made of plastic material like thatof the other parts, e.g. tough but flexible polyethylene. Itscircumferential wall, or skirt, 17 functions to stabilize the strainerin its downward passage and reduce tilting thereof thus reducing anytendency for fecal material to become wedged between the outer wall ofthe strainer and the inner wall of the tube. It is also within thebroader scope of the invention for the skirt to have a thin outwardlyextending integral circumferential fin to aid in sweeping downward anysuch fecal material that may be situated along the inner wall of thetube; also the strainer may comprise a pair of parallel horizontalapertured strainer plates mounted, say about 1 to 2 cm apart on acentral vertical manipulating rod, both such plates conforming to thesize and shape of the inner wall of the tube and both preferably beingintegrally molded with the rod, without any skirt.

The holes 18 preferably have diameters well above 0.5 mm and well below1.5 mm. Particularly suitable are holes having diameters of about 1 mm.By experimentation I have found that holes of such size are large enoughnot be be clogged by fecal debris, such as the mucous and slime that arepresent in some dog feces, and at the same time are not large enough topermit the passage, by flotation through the holes, of such an amount offecal matter as to significantly interfere with the microscopicexamination. Preferably the holes are closely spaced and substantiallythe entire face of the bottom wall is perforated, as is indicated inFIG. 5 of the drawing.

The rod portion 15 of strainer 3 is preferably appreciable shorter thanthe height of the cylinder. Thus, when the strainer is placed in thecylinder it can be pushed down to force the suspended fecal mattertoward the bottom of the cylinder (allowing parasite eggs, in thediluent, to pass through the holes in the strainer) until the top of therod portion 15 is below the top of the cylinder. In this position thetop of the rod portion will not interfere with the meniscus or with theslide which is placed on top of the cylinder. The top of the cylinderlike its bottom, is preferably at a right angle to the axis of thecylinder (as shown in the drawing) so that the slide placed thereon willbe substantially level. It will be understood that the diameter of thetop of the cylinder may be made larger than that of the bottom. Thus itis advantageous to make the cylinder very slightly larger at the top,e.g. for ease of molding.

As mentioned previously the tray or holder 4 is of such outer dimensionsas to form a stable supporting base for the cylinder, even when amicroscope slide is placed on top of the latter. In one typicalembodiment this base is about 4 cm across while the cylinder is about 5(e.g. 5.5) cm high and about 2 to 3 cm in external diameter.

Methods for fecal analysis without the use of a filtering element areknown in the art, e.g. the "Willis technique". While less desirable, itis within the broader scope of the invention to employ the device andprocess of the invention without a filter. The microscope slide (whichmay be the cover glass portion thereof) becomes rather dirty of coursebut the ova can be detected thereon if numerous enough. When no filteris employed the other steps of the new process are otherwisesubstantially the same as described herein; the use of the novelcombination of feces collection cup and attachable tube will still makethings much easier and neater for both the sample collector and theanalyst.

It is understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merelyby way of illustration and that variations may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. The "Abstract" given aboveis merely for the convenience of technical searchers and is not to begiven any weight with respect to the scope of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A fecal sample container for collecting and transporting asample of feces and for serving as a base, for an open-ended tubesubsequently fitted thereto, during the analysis of said sample by amethod in which the sample of feces is mixed with flotation liquid in areceptacle formed by said tube and said base and ova in said sample arecaused to rise upward through said liquid in said receptacle, saidcontainer consisting of two unitary bodies, both of molded plastic, oneof which is a unitary cup body including an empty open-top cup adaptedto receive and transport the sample of feces to be examined, said cupbeing adapted to be slid into and received in an open lower end of saidtube to form said receptacle by closing the lower end of said tube witha liquid-tight press fit with the outer walls of said cup in closecontact with the inner walls of said tube, said cup having an interiorvolume of about one half to 5 cc for receiving and retaining acorresponding volume of feces and a width of about 1 to 2 cm and saidcup having an integral extension in the form of a flat-bottomed trayhaving an upstanding outer rim, said tray being constructed and arrangedto serve as a supporting base for said tube when the latter is fitted tosaid cup and said rim being constructed and arranged to retain liquidoverflowing from said tube, the top of said rim being below the top ofsaid cup, the other of said unitary bodies being a closure cap forfitment over the open top of the cup, said closure cap engaging andspanning said spaced portions and extending over the top of said cup toconfine fecal matter therein during the transport of said sample priorto the fitting of said receptacle on said cup, said closure cap having adownwardly extending circumferential wall surrounding said rim andhaving means for engaging said rim with a snap fit to hold said cap onsaid body with said cap fitting over the entire top of said tray,closing said cup and covering the space between said well and said rim,said cup body having an extension outwardly of said rim serving as afinger piece for use in separating said cup body and said closure capprior to the fitting of said receptacle on said cup, one of said unitarybodies having integral therewih a feces sample-collecting paddle whosewidth is at least one fifth of, but less than, the inner diameter ofsaid cup, said paddle being connected to said cup or closure cap by anarrower readily frangible zone and thereby being easily removed for usein collecting said sample.
 2. A device as in claim 1 accompanied bydirections advising the user to place the feces in the cup.
 3. A deviceas in claim 1 in which either said cup or closure cap, or both, hasmolded thereon directions advising the user to place the feces in saidcup.
 4. A device as in claim 1 in which either said cup or closure cap,or both, has an outer surface portion with a relatively rough surfaceadapted to receive and hold ink whereby a name can be written on saidportion to identify the sample of feces.
 5. A device as in claim 1 inwhich said tray, serving as said base, has a diameter of about 4 cm. 6.A device as in claim 5, in which both said cup and said closure cap areof injection-molded polyethylene and in which either said cup or saidcap, or both, has molded thereon directions advising the user to placethe feces in said cup.
 7. A device as in claim 6 in which said cup has aflat underface extending across and over the walls of said cup.